What are the first words that come to mind when you think of Fall?

As a native New Englander, I think of apple picking, Halloween, pumpkins, and warm beverages.

Every year during the days that follow Halloween, my kitchen at home is full of freshly picked apples and a trick-or-treating bag swollen with my prized candy loot. I always eat so much candy that I imagine my dentist shaking his head in disapproval and acknowledge that I will endure stomach aches for days. During this time, I always cook the classic fall treats: caramel apples, apple pie, and apple sauce.

But every year, no matter how many candy-induced comas I endure and apple pie variations I bake, a few candy bars and slightly-bruised apples linger in my house until it’s impossible to go into a store or listen to the radio without hearing Christmas music. This Halloween muffin recipe is my creative solution for disposing of both types of fall treat leftovers.

After I finish with my Halloween muffins, I feel the need to continue with the fall theme by turning to pumpkin donut muffins. The only logistical challenge with this recipe is determining when the muffins are fully cooked, but when prepared correctly, these fluffy, spiced muffins might just be my favorites.

Both of these muffin recipes, paired with a steaming mug of tea, cider, or hot cocoa make a comforting and delicious fall breakfast or snack.

Halloween Muffins

(Adapted from Kids Can Cook)
Makes 12 large muffins

Ingredients

Cooking oil spray
2 cups flour
1/3 cup quick (not instant) oats
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/3 tsp. salt
2 fun-sized packages M&Ms or Reese’s Pieces
2 grated apples
1 egg
1/3 cup canola oil
1/2 cup water
12 fun-sized candy bars (Reese’s peanut butter cups, Snickers bars, and Hershey’s kisses work the best)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat 12 large muffin tins with oil.

2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, salt, and M&Ms. Make a well in the center.

3. In a small bowl, combine apples, egg, oil, and water.

4. Pour wet ingredients into well in dry ingredients, and stir until just combined (about 25 stirs).

5. Spoon the batter mixture into oiled muffin tins, filling 2/3 full.

6. In the center of each muffin, bury one fun-sized candy bar.

7. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until muffins are golden brown.

 

Pumpkin Donut Muffins

(Adapted from Martha Stewart)
Makes 12 large muffins

Ingredients

Cooking oil spray
1 1/4 tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. allspice
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 1/4 cups pure pumpkin puree (from a 15-ounce can)
3/4 cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 cup melted unsalted butter

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat 12 large muffin tins with oil.

2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and allspice.

3. In a small bowl, combine buttermilk and pumpkin puree.

4. In a large bowl, beat butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add flour mixture in three shifts, alternating with two additions of pumpkin mixture. Beat with mixer to combine, until smooth.

5. Spoon the batter mixture into oiled muffin tins, filling each 2/3 full.

6. Bake for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

7. While the muffins are baking, combine granulated sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter in a medium bowl.

8. When the muffins are cooked, roll them in the sugar coating mixture.